


Survivor's Guilt

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [16]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Broken Bones, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Fluff, Hurt Isaac Lahey, Hurt Nolan, Hurt/Comfort, Isaac Lahey's Past Abuse, Jackson is a Little Shit, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Nolan, dodgeball - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 13:42:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17387405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Isaac hates dodgeball. The only reason he even agrees to play during the pack game is because of Nolan. He gives him those big blue, hopeful eyes that Isaac always has trouble resisting and Isaac is done for. He's not expecting the flood of memories that come back during the game.





	Survivor's Guilt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ithinkwehaveanemergency](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ithinkwehaveanemergency/gifts).



> For Adri, who sent "Survivor's Guilt" for Bad Things Happen Bingo. This is me, so it could have been _a lot_ worse than it is.

Isaac hates dodgeball. He does. He just can’t see the point in a game where kids throw balls at each other. Sure, they’re soft enough. But when they’re thrown hard enough they can really do some damage. Something Isaac learned at an early age.

So when the pack suggests a competitive game for one of their weekly gatherings, Isaac is more than a little concerned. If humans can do damage at the game, he doesn’t even want to think about what a pack of werewolves can do. Sure, he’s a wolf and can heal. But that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt. Not to mention the human members of the pack.

The only reason he even agrees to play is because of Nolan. He gives him those big blue, hopeful eyes that Isaac always has trouble resisting and Isaac is done for.  He agrees to play, albeit reluctantly. He tells himself it’s so he can protect Nolan if anyone starts getting too rough. But then Nolan winds up on the opposite team, and that plan goes out the window.

Nolan is ruthless at the game. He has no problem using as much force as he can to throw the balls at the opposite team and get them out. Isaac manages to stay in as long as possible, aiming a few well aimed throws at Kira and Scott. Then he’s the only one left. Rather than one person throwing a ball and getting him out, the pack advances on him.

Isaac takes a few hurried steps back, only to run into a tree, finding himself cornered. “You guys know you won,” Isaac tells them, dropping his last ball and raising his hands. “You don’t have to be assholes.”

Malia and Jackson share a look before turning back to him, “It’s only fair we all get rid of our balls.”

“Guys,” Scott warns.

Before Scott can say anything else Isaac finds himself being pelted with balls. They’re not thrown hard, but Isaac still finds himself sliding down the tree and cowering against their assault.

_“You can’t handle that? You think this is hard on you? Stand up and take it like a man!”_

Isaac whines and covers his face, just waiting for it to end. Memories of his dad throwing things at him fight their way to the surface. All he can see is his dads face. Can only feel the impact as books and lamps and chairs and one time even a weight made contact with his body. Hot tears spill down his cheeks as he turns himself further away and tries to shield himself from the attack.

When a hand makes contact with his arm he doesn’t even think before growling and jumping back. He comes back to himself when his brain registers Nolan’s wide blue eyes watching him. Scott is trying to pull Nolan away but Nolan shakes him off, crawling slowly towards Isaac instead.

“Isaac?”

Even that one word is spoken carefully, as if Nolan is afraid to speak too loud and frighten him. This time when Nolan touches him, Isaac doesn’t flinch away. He feels himself relax, the way he always does when Nolan is there. It’s not the first time Nolan has had to calm him down from a bad dream. Except this time it hadn’t been a dream.

Nolan doesn’t say anything else. He just sits there with his hand resting over Isaac’s. The rest of the pack move away, giving them space. Isaac rests his head on Nolan’s shoulder and takes a few deep breaths, letting Nolan’s familiar scent sink into him and ease away the fear that had built inside him.

“I’m sorry,” Isaac whispers.

“What for?”

“I lashed out at you,” Isaac says. “I could have hurt you.”

“But you didn’t,” Nolan says, his voice firm. “And you’re not the one that should be sorry anyway. You didn’t even want to play this stupid game and I…”

“You what?” Isaac asks. “You having a bit of survivor’s guilt?”

Isaac doesn’t have to see Nolan’s face to know he’s rolling his eyes, “Stop making a joke of it. Of course I feel guilty. I know you only played because I wanted to. And then you were the last one in and they ganged up on you. Fucking Jackson wouldn’t stop.”

“What made him?”

“Malia realized they went too far,” Nolan says. “But I’d already…”

Isaac notices for the first time that Nolan is holding his other arm away from him. He frowns when he reaches out for it and Nolan flinches away. “You’d already what?”

“I may have punched him in the face,” Nolan admits, giving him a sheepish smile.

Isaac grimaces when he starts taking Nolan’s pain, “You’re hurt.”

“Only a little.”

Isaac narrows his eyes, “A little?”

Nolan sighs and looks away, “I may have broken my hand.”

Isaac sighs and noses at Nolan’s neck, “You broke your hand punching a werewolf.”

“One that was being a dick to my boyfriend,” Nolan says indignantly. “I wasn’t really thinking about the werewolf thing. Just that he was being an asshole and hurting you.”

Isaac lifts his head to look at him, “My hero.”

“Don’t be an ass.”

“I’m not,” Isaac says. He kisses Nolan’s cheek. “I’m being completely serious.”

Nolan doesn’t look like he believes him. Isaac grabs his chin lightly and turns his face towards him. He brushes his thumb across his cheek and smiles softly, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Nolan says. He leans in and places a soft kiss to Isaac’s lips. “How are _you_ feeling?”

Isaac sighs and leans his forehead against Nolan’s, “Okay. I’m still a little shaky. But it’s better than it was. This helps.”

“Do you want to go home?”

“I do,” Isaac says. “But first, we need to get you to the hospital for that hand.”

“I can have someone else take me,” Nolan says. “I’m sure Liam and Theo…”

“No. I want…” he takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. “I want to be there. Both for you, and for me. And then we can go home.”

“I see blankets and cuddling and Netflix in our future,” Nolan grins.

“Sounds perfect.”

Isaac gets to his feet and reaches down to help Nolan to his feet. He hears someone nearby and looks to see Derek approaching them.

“Need a ride?”

Isaac is about to say no, when he realizes there’s no way Nolan can drive with a broken hand, and he himself isn’t feeling up for it yet. He nods and sends Derek a grateful smile, “Yeah that’s probably for the best.”

“I can drive your car and then you two back to the house and Stiles can pick me up,” Derek says, taking the keys from Isaac when he hands them over.

Isaac doesn’t know why he’s so nervous when they reach the hospital. Nolan isn’t seriously hurt. He’s going to be fine. But seeing him sitting on the exam table with Melissa and Dr. Geyer examining his hand has him feeling restless.

“Do you want to wait outside, Isaac?” Melissa asks him.

The look she gives him is enough to tell him if he wants to stay that he better stop moving. He shakes his head and moves to the seat next to the bed. Nolan gives him a small smile and brushes a hand through his hair with his free hand.

“How did this happen again?” Dr. Geyer asks him.

“I punched Jackson Whittemore in the face,” Nolan says, not sounding the least bit sorry.

Dr. Geyer’s lips twitch slightly, and he turns his head, probably hoping they won’t notice. “Ah, well… I hear punching a werewolf can do that.”

Nolan sighs, “Is it bad?”

“You’ll need a cast,” the doctor says. “Probably for a few weeks so it can heal. But once it does you’ll be fine.”

“At least it’s not lacrosse season,” Melissa offers.

“Even if it was, it would have been worth it to miss a few games,” Nolan says.

“Well let’s just be glad that you aren’t,” Isaac says. “And that it’s not worse.”

“What made you punch him?” Melissa asks.

“He was being a dick to Isaac,” Nolan mutters.

“Ah that would do it,” Melissa says.

She helps Dr. Geyer get Nolan into his cast and then goes over some teaching for his time wearing it, as well as giving him a prescription for pain meds in case he needs them. Derek and Stiles are in the waiting room when they walk out.

Once they get home, Isaac helps Nolan get changed into something more comfortable, before doing the same. He joins him on the bed, and pulls Nolan close to him. It’s been a long day, and right now all he wants is to hold Nolan, and be surrounded by his warmth and scent. He doesn’t care that there’s a movie playing on TV. All he can focus on his the boy next to him, and how lucky he is to have him.


End file.
